Draw-coupling for wire cables.



J. I. COLE. DRAW couPLlNG Foa WIRE CABLES. APPLICATION FILED DEC. I2. I9l3. RENEWED JULY 25.1917. I

Patented Mar. 5, 1918.

@NUTR @TT FATF? Flhlltdld.

JAMES 1. ooLE,

0F GLENVIEW, ILLINOIS; AUGUSTINE J. CULE AND LOUIS S. COLE` EXECUTORS OF SAlD JAMES P. COLE, DECEASEID.

DRAW-COUPLIN G- FOR WIRE CABLES.

Application led December 12, 1913, Serial No. 806,19-5. Renewed July 25, 1917.

To c/,ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES P. COLE, a resident of Glenview, in the county of Cook and State of illinois, have invented certain n new and useful improvements in Draw- Couplings for Wire Cables, of which the following `is a full, clear, andA `exact description. v

The invention relates to draw-couplings for wire cables.

In installing armored conductor-cables in conduits, it is important that an effective connection should be made between a hauling line for drawing theA cable through the conduit and the end of the conductor-cable, because any breaking of the connection entails loss of a great deal of time in withdrawing the conductor-cable from thel conduit` and again Stringing the hauling line through the conduit. It is also important in installing armored conductor-cables that a suitable coupling be employed which will notstrip the armor, which is usually made of soft metal, such as lead, from the `end of the cable because sometimes vthe cable is permitted to remain for a considerable time in the intersecting vaults between the conduits, before the electrical connections are made, and at such times, it is necessary to protect the conductor-wires of the cable and the insulation thereon from the effect of moisture and water. i

Heretofore, it has been customary to connect the hauling line by couplings extending around the armor of the cable which, in many cases, resulted in stripping the armor from the cable orin rupturing the armor and destroying its protectiveness. In some instances also, the connection between the hauling line and the armored cable was not eiciently made so that the connection would break off or slip from the cable, particularly at the time when the cable is subjected to the severe stresses as it approaches the exit; end of a conduit. j

The present invention designs to overcome objections to the couplings heretofore employed and morek particularly to provide an improvedl coupling in which a water-tight joint is provided which will Veffectively protect the conductors of the cable and the insulation around said conductors, and to provide a coupling in which an effective connection is made with the conductor wires at Ithe end of the cable; also to provide an [improved coupling in which ccection is Specification of Letters Patent.

. retard the Patented Mar. 5, 1913.

Serial No. 182,804.

`made with only a short length of the cable,

enlarged to clear the conduit in advance of the armored cable to insure the removal of any obstruction in the conduit which might passage of the cable through the conduit. l Other objects of the invention will be `manifest from the improved coupling hereinafter set forth.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by claims at the conV clusion hereof. Y 4 Y In the drawings: Figure l is a plan of a portion of an armored conductor-cable with the improved coupling connected there to, parts being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, parts being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3*?3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4c is a section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective of the draw-member which is provided with a clearing-head and a bar to which the conductor wires of the armored cable are laced.

A denotes a cable comprising conductorwires a, which are separately covered with insulating material, and a protective sheath or armor b which is usually formed of lead and incloses the cable. ln attaching the cable to the coupling, a portion of the armor is cut o', as at b', so as to leave short lengths of wire (in practice about one foot along) exposed for connection to the draw-cou pling. Adjacent the point where the sheet `or armor is cut, the cable and sheath are which is provided with an eye c4 for connectlon to `a draft-cable- Socket c, bar o, studs c2, and head c? are integrallyformed Vand are usually made of cast steel orvother material of great tensile strength. The

socket c is tapered to receive the contracted end of the sheath 'o and terminates in two laterally -extending openings c through `in opposite directions around the studs o2,

and the terminals cs of each group, after passingaround the front stud c2, are folded backwardly a sufficient distance so that theyl may be secured at the sides of the draw-bar by a wire l which is wrapped around the ends of the wires at both sides of the drawbar c and extends through notches c in the vdraw-bar. Thehead c3 of the draw-bar is tapered or pointed and is ofsize at least Aequal to the size of the cable, so thatas it is pulled through a conduit, it will clear the conduit of any obstruction which'mightretard the passage of the coupling and cable therethrough. When the wires of cable A are laced around the studs on the draw-bar,

the draw-coupling will be securely connected to the Wires so that the pulling stresses will be exertedupon the wires of the cable instead of upon the sheath o. Resultantly, there will be notendency to strip or mutilate the sheath.

Inorder to securely connect the wires to the coupling andato provide a water-tight connection aroundthe end of the sheath so that moisture cannot get into the cable if it is left unconnected, particularly if the wires are left unconnected for a time in the vaults, solderv c is poured around the exposed ends of the, wires and around the draw-bar and studs c2.. For this purpose, the coupling is usually placed in a sectional mold so thaty the solderrwill flow completely around, the

Wires a and Vthe studs. The Viusulaticm around Wires@ Will be burnt off er ether- Wiseremoved iromthe ends of thewres outside ofthe sheath to cause the solder-*to unite with these wires which are usually made of copper and treated with a suitable flux to securely bond the wires to the solder. The cavity of the mold is usually of a diameter corresponding to thediameter of the socket c.

A sleeve 7, which is `.termed of brass or otherY Suitable material, is *slippedcbach Wardly overV the Sheath. b before the Wires are connected to the draw-bar, is then pushed toward the bead es which is provided `with-a` seat or shoulder f which positions the front-end of the sleevearound the coupling.` Studs f2 are formed on. the Socket c to. positionfthe inner end of thesleeve around seid socket. This sleeve is provided with "llQleS f3. When tlievsleeve been `slipped into place, as shown in Fig. l.. solder is poured into it through the holesv fr to rlill the space between the molded solder and the sleeve and to till the space between the sleeve and the socket c and the space between a portion of the sheath adjacent the rear end of the socket. rlhc inside of the sheath is tinned so that the solder will unite with the sleeve and secure the latter to the coupling. Y

When the connection has been thus coinpleted, the coupling will be securely connected to the wires of the cable and an eiiective water-tight joint will be .formed bctween the sleeve and the sheath. rllhe hauling stresses will not be applied in any material degree to the sheath ot' the cable, but will be applied to the wires ot the cable. .ln hauling the cable through a conduit, the head 03 will clear the conduit, and the construction of the coupling is such that there will be no danger of breakage in hauling the cable through a long conduit. By lacing the wires to the draw-bar, only a short portion of the wires will be used in making the coupling.

When the cable has been drawn through a conduit, it will be sawed oi at the inner end of sleeve By providing a coupling in which the wires are laced to the draw-bar, only a. short portion of the wires are necessary to provide a secure connection and only short lengths of wires are wasted. By placing the sleeves and coupling with the ends of the wires in a retort, the solder will be melted and flow out of the holes 73 and the end of the sleeve. The sleeve may then be separated from the coupling so that the wrapping wire and ends of the wires a on the vdraw-bar may be cut away. The coupling and thesleeve may then be re-used.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these ,may be modified wit-hin the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

l-laving thus described the invention,

whatv l laim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. In a draw-coupling for cables, the combination of a draw-bar, oppositely disposed pins on said bar upon which to lace the divided wires of a cable, and means for selfuring the ends of said Wire lacings to .said

2. a, draw-coupling 'for cables, the eembinaton of e draw-bar, pins on the drewbar for lacing the ends of the wires of a cable thereto, e sleeve inclosing the bar and the laced wire ends .and tted at its ends upon the ends of said bar, and a filling within the sleeve.

3- llna. drew-coupling fer cables, the cembuetion. of a draw-bar, pins on said bar upon .which to lace the divided cable, and a socket at one end of theJ draw-bar to receive the end of the cable and to thereof.

4. In a draw-coupling for cables, the combination of a draw-bar, means for securing the Wires of a cable thereto, asocket at one end of the draw-bar for receiving the cable, a metallic sleeve around the bar and said socket and positioned by the ends of said bar, and a fusible filling in said sleeve.

5. In a draw-coupling for cables, a drawbar having means for securing the Wires of a cable thereto, and a clearing head of a diameter at least equal to that of the cable i disposed at the front end of the draw-bar.'

Uopies of this patent :may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the divide the Wires securing head at the front end of said bar, a cable receiving socket at the rear end of said bar, and a sleeve around said bar and positioned at its ends by said clearing head and sleeve.

8. In a draw-coupling for cables, the combination of a draw-bar, means for securing the Wires of a cable thereto, a clearing and securing head at the front end of said bar, a cable receiving socket at the rear end of said bar, a` sleeve around said bar and posil tioned at its ends-by said clearing head and sleeve, and a fusible llin in said sleeve.

9. In a drawcoup1ing for cables, a drawbar having integral means thereon for lacing the divided Wires of a cable thereto, an integral clearing head at one end, and a tapered socket at its other end for receiving the end of an armored cable and apertured on each side to divide the cable Wires.

JAMES P. COLE. Witnesses:

MILDRED STUMPF,

KATHARINE GERLACH.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

